


anew

by comefeedtherainn



Series: Memory is the Key SMAU [1]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: AI/Human, M/M, bed sharing, smau fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:41:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29310513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comefeedtherainn/pseuds/comefeedtherainn
Summary: Eddie finds that falling asleep is probably one of the most fucked up things human bodies do on a regular basis - and that's saying something. Richie's just trying to wrap his head around the fact that Eddie is next to him at all.(smau tie-in fic)
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Series: Memory is the Key SMAU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2171127
Comments: 3
Kudos: 67





	anew

_Can I come sleep with you_

_Yes_

_Please_

_Okay  
  
_

Richie lays on his back, squinting at the light of his comm. The room he commandeered is an alright size, though a bit stale, kind of like a college dorm. He hasn't been able to determine the last time someone was at this station, but it's overall sparseness tells him it's been quite a while. Overhead is a window, the swirling purples and blues and yellows of the night sky visible if he cranes his neck back. The light casts interesting patterns on his walls. His bed is small and a little stiff. He's not sure he'd be able to sleep on anything more comfortable, to be fair. Military life, and a life of moving around even before that, have ruined him for comfort of most kinds. 

Speaking of which - the door creaks open, slowly, to reveal Eddie standing in the doorway. He's wearing Richie's t-shirt, black and oversized with a hole near the collar. His legs are bare, thin and dusted with hair, pale from never seeing the sun until only yesterday. His hair is a bit of a mess, like he's been rolling around in bed but hasn't been able to settle. Richie blinks at him, his eyelids heavy with sleep, and then lifts one arm.

Without a word Eddie crosses the room, curling in on himself to crawl into the tiny bed beside Richie. He tucks himself underneath Richie's arm as if he belongs, pressing close to his chest and nuzzling his nose into it. He makes a soft, pleased sound in his throat, and Richie has to agree. He swallows, hesitating before carefully laying one hand on Eddie's shoulder, the rest of him rigid as a board. He closes his eyes, figuring that's pushing his luck enough, then blinks them back open when Eddie sits up with a huff. His vision is slowly adjusting to the dark, and he realizes Eddie is glaring at him.

"What?"

"Why won't you touch me?"

Richie opens his mouth, and only realizes once he's gaping like a fish that he has no response. "I."

"We wanted to touch for so long," Eddie says sharply. 

One hand is braced in the crook under Richie's shoulder, their hips and legs snugly tucked against each other. They're so close, Eddie is warming his skin without even trying, but Richie still keeps his hands safely away. Eddie draws his attention again by reaching out, himself, laying a warm hand on his cheek and directing his gaze toward him.

"Richie. What's wrong with you?"

Richie swallows, staring up at him and knowing the silence is going for too long. It's just too much to explain. It's too much, it's so much. Everything about the two of them is so much. Eddie's expression sinks into something more vulnerable, his hand falling away.

"I...you...when you kissed me, I thought-"

"I wanted to," Richie interrupts, hating how small Eddie's voice sounds.As if Richie could do anything but want him.

"And what?" Eddie prods, sharp again. "It wasn't as good as you hoped?"

"No! I mean, yes. I mean- fuck, Eddie. It was good," Richie clarifies awkwardly. "Of course it was. I wanted to kiss you for so long. I still want to. I'm just...I don't know what the rules are."

Eddie blinks at him, almost cartoonish with his big Bambi eyes. "Rules."

"Yeah, like...if you were any other guy I'd kinda know what's cool and what's not," he explains. "There's social norms and shit for people who are...I don't know. Dating. Seeing each other. Whatever. And with us, it's like...this whole new thing. I don't know what's allowed. Don't you feel...weird?"

Eddie pulls away a bit more, his shoulders moving toward his ears. "Yes. Yes, I feel weird. Jesus, Richie."

"Tell me."

"If I stop paying attention for too long I feel like I"m floating up on the fucking ceiling," Eddie practically snarls. "Nothing feels right. Nothing feels natural or like it's mine. I couldn't sleep because falling asleep...scares me. Unconsciousness is so fucked up, how the fuck do you do it all the time?"

"It's natural for me," Richie says gently. "I've been doing it since I was born. It's not something I have to learn. You should be more patient with yourself."

"I can't when you look at me like I'm something strange," Eddie says bitterly, avoiding his eyes. "Like I'm not right."

"Hey, no," Richie gasps, a lump forming in his throat. "No, baby. That's not what I think."

"Why wouldn't you?"

Richie frowns, watching Eddie shrinking away from him and hugging his own knees, glaring at the floor. 

"...I think maybe we should start over."

Eddie's eyes flick toward him.

"Can I kiss you hello?" Richie asks, smiling weakly.

Eddie lifts the corner of his mouth back, his grip on his knees loosening. "Yes."

Richie laughs quietly, pulling him closer. He's easy to move, sliding across the bed easily and with only minor complaint. Richie leans and kisses him, lips brushing and barely there. It makes his skin prickle and his heart race just like the first time, moreso because Eddie responds a little. It's clear he isn't sure what he's doing, but his instincts for what feels good (and maybe some memories Richie doesn't really want to think about) are doing wonders. Richie pulls back a bit, meeting Eddie's heavy-lidded gaze.

"Close your eyes," he advises in a whisper, waiting until Eddie does as he says. He takes a moment to admire his thick lashes, strong cheeks and angular nose, before kissing him again.

Eddie hums against his mouth, and Richie's hands are moving on their own. He squeezes Eddie's thin hips, pulling him a bit closer, and gasps when Eddie breaks off the kiss only to crawl into his lap. Richie swallows, blinking slowly as he looks up at him, just admiring the view. 

"Hi."

Eddie smirks, arms wrapped loosely around Richie's neck. "Hi. I feel like I'm gonna crawl out of my skin."

"You're just turned on," Richie says, then laughs because it's a stupid thing to have to say. "That's all."

"I figured," Eddie snorts, rolling his eyes. "It's weird. Kind of annoying. But kind of fun."

"When did we start talking about my best qualities?" Richie asks, grinning when Eddie laughs a little louder. It's the best sound, one he hadn't been able to make when he was an AI. Richie decides he wants to make him laugh all the time. He slides his hands up Eddie's back, just exploring warm skin, and watches as Eddie arches a bit. "Sensitive."

"Everything feels insane," Eddie grunts, squirming distractingly in Richie's lap. "Hope I get used to it."

"Part of me hopes you get horny from a gentle breeze forever," Richie grins, digging his fingers into Eddie's lower back playfully. He kisses his chest when he arches again. "Eddie. You're so gorgeous, seirously."

Eddie blinks down at him. "Who, me?"

"Yeah, you."

Eddie cocks his head, frowning like he's found a new species of insect. "...why?"

"Hm?"

"What's gorgeous? About me?"

Richie's mouth hangs open a bit. "Um. You want me to explain why I think you're handsome?"

"Yes," Eddie says seriously. "I'm curious."

Richie takes a second to get his heart rate under control. "Uh, okay. Your eyes. They're dark, and big. You have a nice face. I like your cheeks, and your jaw, and your nose. And...and..."

Richie's eyes flit down to the rest of him, but a wall slams down, not letting him continue. Eddie twirls one of the curls at the nape of Richie's neck around one finger, and that's even more distracting.

"And?"

Richie shrugs, not sure how to continue. He closes his eyes when Eddie's lips press delicately to his forehead. 

"You're shy."

"I guess."

Eddie seems to drop it for now, sliding down and slotting himself against Richie like he's always been there. He lays with his back facing him, oversized tshirt riding up and revealing bare legs, the curve of his hip and the dip of his waist. They really need to get him some clothes, Richie notes. Wearing briefs a couple sizes too big, waist band rolled down a bit to fit better, could not be fun. Carefully, he rests a hand on Eddie's thigh, smoothing his palm along the soft skin untouched by weather, tickled by whispy hair.

"Will you talk to me?"

Richie glances at the mess of curls on the back of Eddie's head. "Hm?"

"Talk to me. About something. Until I fall asleep. So I don't have to focus on it."

Richie hums, pressing a careful kiss to the back of Eddie's neck. He's pleased when he shivers a bit. 

"Sure. What do you want me to talk about?"

"Anything."

"Alright."

Richie pulls the blankets up farther, covering Eddie all the way to his chin. Eddie takes hold of the edge of them and yanks a bit more, until only the tuft of his hair is visible. Richie smiles to himself, holding him close like a teddy bear, and starts to quietly ramble. 

* * *

The smau this ties in to is Memory is the Key, found on twitter [here](https://twitter.com/memoryiskey_au)! 


End file.
